Island Elder: Elder Romey's Testimony

Tuesday, January 27, 2015

Dear Family,

I knew I was staying in Ebeye. It is actually going to be changing again when president comes but for now I'm with Elder Sieler. It has been fun talking about back home with him just cause he lived in Sierra Vista so like an hour away and he knows some people I knew. It was a hard week trying to rebuild the area but yesterday was a great day and we got 8 lessons. That's a great day!

Some news on Thor is not what I was expecting as an answer for what to do with him but it is for the best for now. We had to drop him. We went in to have a final lesson just to see if we should or not and it definitely helped us decide to let The Lord work on him for now. We went in there and bore really strong testimonies and finally got him to tell us why he lets us come into his house if all we do is get nowhere with him. He finally said that he was trying to convince us that we were wrong after our really strong testimonies, he even pulled out the 1 Corinthians verse about being blinded. Woooo I was about to explode when that happened, I controlled it and bore a really powerful testimony that I found out the church was true by studying and praying and asking god, not because of anyone else, if I was a Mormon because I grew up in it or was going off of other testimonies I wouldn't be on a mission or a member of the church right now, I also threw in that testimony that he was really confused. But it turned out alright I think. It just helped me realize what I have been thinking for a while is that he wasn't ready for the gospel. I had been thinking for awhile of what a missionary’s goal and purpose is when we go into a lesson and teach someone and I kept thinking that he just wasn't ready. He isn't ready for the Lord’s servants yet so it's time for the spirit to work on him before he is taught again by the missionaries. So it wasn't the answer I wanted nor the solution I wanted but I knew it was the lords decision and that it made sense for him to have a break and think if he really wants the gift we can share with him and his family.

Well I got the package thank you and the crocs are awesome. I know in the past that crocs have always seemed weird to me but now that I've worn them I now know why they are so popular and great.

Thanks for all the support you give me and everything you do so I can be out here. I love you guys very much.

Tuesday January 20, 2015

Dear Family,

This week was pretty uneventful other than transfers are happening tomorrow officially, which will be nice because we need a change here in Central Ebeye. As a companionship it just wasn't working that well and the work was slowed and I want to change this area so this transfer will be good. I don't know exactly who I am working with so I guess next week you will know.

I have continued to teach Thor this week and I feel that I have explained the plan of salvation like a general authority would. So much detail and such long lessons and so many questions. Elder Bascom was working with me yesterday and he taught Thor with me as well. He definitely backed me up on how confused he is and how many questions he has. I finally figured out why he has such weird thoughts on the interpretation of the bible and has so many questions. He has been a member of 8 different Christian churches and has gathered a pretty skewed version of a lot of doctrine. So it's no wonder he has such a hard time accepting what we tell him. I've also noticed that sometimes he will even pray during a prayer said by one of us elders. Want to bring that up with him in a polite way but don't know how. I want to baptize this son of a gun that I will spend my whole mission in this area if it comes to it. It's going to happen I just have been trying to find out what do. Been praying to know what to do and for him to have a change of heart so we can get him baptized cause I know how much he wants the truth and how much the gospel can bless his life. So hopefully that can happen. Work hard!

Thanks again for everything you do and I miss and love you all.

-Elder Romney